In recent years there has been considerable activity and emphasis on home insulation. Much money, time, and effort is now being spent by homeowners having various areas insulated. One of the primary areas to be insulated is the attic floor. In this area, homeowners are laying strips or batts of insulation or loose fill insulation up to fourteen inches thick in an effort to retain heat in the area below in the winter time and to keep the heat out of the area below in the summer time. The attic temperature normally approximates the outside temperature in the wintertime, and is much higher than the outside temperature in summer because of the absorption of heat by the roof. Therefore this is the basis of the emphasis on insulating these areas.
One area conventionally overlooked has been the disappearing staircase. In homes where a disappearing staircase provides access through the ceiling into the attic, the area immediately above the staircase has not been adequately insulated, because access is necessary through the ceiling opening when the staircase is pulled down to the opened position. As a factual matter, to leave this area unattended is a serious mistake if the remainder of the attic floor is insulated. If this area is left uninsulated, it acts as a chimmey for the heat in the wintertime, and heat is actually drawn through this rectangular opening which is approximately three by five feet. As much as 20% of the heat loss which would occur if the attic floor were not insulated at all can occur if this area is left unattended. The present invention then is directed toward providing insulation on the attic floor which covers the disappearing staircase. To achieve this result, it is necessary to provide an insulating cap or cover over the opening in the ceiling, which insulation has an R value of at least 19. In addition, it is necessary that this insulation be formed of rigid material and that means be provided for moving the block of rigid material from a first normally closed position covering the opening in the ceiling to a second open position providing access therethrough for a person wanting to ascend the staircase into the attic area.
The cap is formed by either molding or fabricating a rigid body of insulative material having such thickness as to realize an R value of at least 19. The block is formed with dimensions as to adequately cover the area in the ceiling in which the staircase is received. In addition, the underside of the block includes a hollowed out portion in which the staircase is received in the folded position. In such folded position the staircase actually fits into the opening in the ceiling and extends above the floor level of the attic. The aforementioned hollowed out portion or recess receives the folded staircase therein.
Additionally, there is provided a mounting means for permitting the body easy, controlled movement of rigid insulating material, or at least a portion thereof to a position removed from the opening in the ceiling when entrance to the attic is desired. This is accomplished preferably by hinging the cover of the block to the side walls or by hinging the block along one edge thereof, so that a person standing on the staircase merely pushes the cover or the entire block itself up around the hinged edge, thereby providing an entranceway to the attic. Additionally, the insulative body might be mounted in a longitudinal pair of tracks and slid longitudinally of the opening to uncover it. Other approaches for moving the block from a first normally closed position to an open position are also possible.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an insulation cap for disappearing stairwells.
It is another object of the present invention to insulate the area above disappearing staircases to prevent loss of heat therethrough.